Yours, Mine and Ours
Yours, Mine and Ours (1968), starring Lucille Ball, Henry Fonda, Van Johnson, Tom Bosley
I can honestly say that Yours, Mine and Ours is one of my family’s favorite movies. It’s a wonderful story, about the merging of two large families. The Beardsley family of ten children, with the widowed father played by Henry Fonda. And the North family of eight children, with the widowed mother played by Lucille Ball). First comes the courtship of the father and mother… Awkwardly, clumsily, with the very understandable resentment of the children who don’t want their deceased parents ‘replaced’. This leads to “An alcoholic Pearl Harbor” that gives Lucille Ball an opportunity to play the drunk. It’s reminiscent of the classic Vitameatavegamin episode of her classic I Love Lucy series. Ending with the dramatic revelation that she’s fallen in love again.
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The Big Broadcast of 1938
The Big Broadcast of 1938, starring W. C. Fields, Bob Hope, Martha Raye, Shirley Ross, Dorothy Lamour, Ben Blue
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Bachelor in Paradise
Bachelor in Paradise (1961), starring Bob Hope, Lana Turner
I have to admit, I recently enjoyed Bachelor in Paradise on TCM, and found myself enjoying it very much. Bob Hope plays Adam J. Niles, author of a series of books detailing the romantic life of the bachelor in a variety of foreign locales. As the movie begins, he’s working on his latest volume in Italy. When he’s unexpectedly brought home, to deal with the issue of back taxes to the IRS.
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The Cat and the Canary [1939]
The Cat and the Canary, starring Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard
Synopsis of The Cat and the Canary
The classic “old dark house” motif is given sterling treatment in The Cat and the Canary. Bob Hope’s status as a star was assured with his role as Wallie Campbell. He becomes the cowardly protector of Joyce Norman (Paulette Goddard). She, in turn, who must spend one night in the eerie mansion of her late, eccentric, millionaire uncle. If she can make it through the night without losing her mind, Joyce stands to inherit her uncle’s entire fortune. Of course, all the other potential heirs now have a motive to drive her insane.
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Rhythm Romance
Rhythm Romance, starring Bob Hope, Shirley Ross, Gene Krupa, Una Merkel
Editorial review of Rhythm Romance courtesy of Amazon.com
Bob Hope puts his best talents forward as Nicky Nelson, a fast-talking promoter with more angles than a funhouse. Originally titled Some Like It Hot (and since renamed for obvious reasons), the film follows the desperate schemes of a would-be entrepreneur seemingly on the verge of success. He’s got Gene Krupa’s band under his management and he’s in love with aspiring singer Shirley Ross, but after gambling away all his chances he’s left in the cold while his discoveries rise to glory without him, and he has one last shot to prove his worth.
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Thanks for the Memory
Thanks for the Memory, starring Bob Hope, Shirley Ross, Charless Butterworth, Roscoe Karns, Patricia Wilder
Synopsis of Thanks for the Memory
Newlywed novelist Steve Merrick (Bob Hope) has his hands full trying to finish his first masterpiece in the romantic classic, Thanks for the Memory. While Steve’s beautiful bride Ann (Shirley Ross) dreams of a better life for them, their eclectic group of friends drop in and ou, keeping Steve away from his typewriter. Meanwhile, Louella (Patricia “Honey Chile” Wilder), a beautiful Southern Belle from next door, keeps meddling into their blissful lives. When Ann resumes her modeling career to allow Steve some freedom, housekeeping gets the best of him causing a muddled mess.
Son of Batman
Son of Batman (2014) starring the voice talents of Jason O’Mara, Stuart Allan, Thomas Gibson,Morena Baccarin, Giancarlo Esposito, Sean Maher
Sadly, this is less of a review, and more of a warning, about Son of Batman. While watching Son of Batman, my children and I laughed out loud multiple times — but not during the comedy moments. In short, it’s a bad movie, which is too bad, since the source material is quite good, and the various actors and actresses have proven themselves to be better than this in other performances.
The Adventures of Marco Polo
The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938), starring Gary Cooper, Basil Rathbone, George Barbier, Sigrid Gurie, Alan Hale
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A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities (1935). Starring Ronald Colman, Elizabeth Allan, Donald Woods, Edna May Oliver, Reginald Owen, Blanche Yurka, Basil Rathbone
Synopsis of A Tale of Two Cities
A Tale of Two Cities (1935) “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times….” Charles Dickens‘ tale of love and tumult during the French Revolution comes to the screen in a sumptuous film version by the producer famed for nurturing sprawling literary works: David O. Selznick (David Copperfield, Anna Karenina, Gone with the Wind). Ronald Colman (The Prisoner of Zenda) stars as Sydney Carton. He’s sardonic, dissolute, a wastrel… And destined to redeem himself in an act of courageous sacrifice. “It’s a far, far better thing I do than I’ve ever done,” Carton muses at that defining moment.